The Crooked Troll
by F33l2 F4c70ry
Summary: A man named Tavros Nitram moves into a new house when his life suddenly takes a turn for the worse. Or should I say, his life turned CROOKED. ... Yeah, I have no life. Feel free to laugh. But also review. That works too. (That rhymed. Xl) Rated T for horror and mild language.
1. Prologue

**Hey guys! So I was watching Pewdiepie play some games when I stumbled across him playing a game called "The Crooked Man." So I watched it and was like "WHAT THE CRUD AM I DOING WITH MY LIFE."**

**No, I did ****_not_**** randomly turn into Karkat.**

**That would be cool, though.**

**Anyway, I thought that the main character, David, seemed a lot like Tavros. I also noticed some similarities between the other characters and the other trolls, too. So, before I actually write the story, here's basically who's who:**

**Tavros=David**

**Karkat=Paul**

**Terezi=Marion**

**Feferi=Sissi**

**Sollux=D**

**Nepeta=Fluffy**

**Gamzee=The Crooked Man**

**Vriska=Shirley (I don't ship them, though.)**

**Aradia=David's Mom**

**And that's basically who's who. Do you think I should change any? You should let me know soon, BTW. I'll start writing as soon as this prologue is up.**

**And to anyone who cares: If any of these Fanfiction peoples know about the game (and, preferably, Homestuck), and want to Beta read for me, feel free to apply!**

**Also, little note: I feels like a nerd today. I spent about 3 or 4 hours watching someone else play a horror game with my Scalemate (His name's Colonel Blackspike) and wearing 3D glasses with the lenses out.**

**This will become a regular thing very soon. X3**

**And for anyone who wants their own Scalemate: Go to lishitz on Deviantart. She'll explain everything.**

**So byes!**


	2. Beginning The Mystery

**I have one thing to say.**

**I regret nothing.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the poem, game, or Homestuck.**

**Note: Though the title says "The Crooked Troll," only the Crooked Man (Who I've changed to Vriska) will be a troll. It's for creepy effect.**

* * *

_There was a crooked man_

_Who walked a crooked mile_

_He found a crooked sixpence_

_On a crooked stile_

_He bought a crooked cat_

_Which caught a crooked mouse_

_And they all live together _

_In a crooked little house_

* * *

"WHEW! FINALLY, THINGS LOOK TIDY IN HERE!" Karkat said.

"TH4T SHOULD B3 TH4T." Terezi smiled. "1S TH3R3 4NYTH1NG 3LS3 W3 C4N H3LP W1TH, T4VROS?"

"uH, nO, I'm FINE," You reply meekly. "sORRY FOR, mAKING YOU GUYS, uH, hELP ME MOVE,,," He paused for a minute, taking in the sights. "aND, uH, tHANKS FOR, uH, sHOWING ME THE PLACE, kARKAT. i'LL HAVE TO, PAY YOU BACK SOMETIME."

"THAT SOUNDS COOL!" Karkat replied, though he didn't smile. "THE THREE OF US COULD GO OUT DRINKING!"

"1 LOOK FORW4RD TO 1T 4LR34DY!" Terezi cackled. "W3LL, W3'D B3TT3R G3T GO1NG!"

"gOT IT." You reply. "bE CAREFUL, yOU TWO."

And with that, Karkat and Terezi left the apartment, leaving you alone with your thoughts.

You walk around on your new prosthetic legs. Karkat had been kind enough to tell him about this place when you were injured, and now he would get a chance to start over. You are still so amazed that there was furniture already here. Oh well. At least now you didn't have to buy some yourself!

After looking around a bit, you see something shine in the corner of your eye. On the coffee table sat a piece of plastic, forgotten by its owner just as he was leaving. This is Karkat's license! You should give it back to him if he's still around. You pocket the plastic and propel your prosthetic appendages out the door.

As you reach for the knob, you hear faint voices. You press your ear to the door and listen.

"What's with this place?! Seriously, it's falling apart! What were you thinking?! He wanted to move for a change of pace, and that will NOT help him, you hear?"

"Look, what can I do? He's not the richest guy, y'know... Can't even afford much furniture... Besides, you told _me_ to looks for the place, right?! Don't come complaining to me now!

"...You're right... I'm sorry. I just wanted to help Tavros out..."

"...I know. Look, I should be sorry. We'll visit some other time..."

You strain to hear more, but the voices are fading away. You turn away from the door.

"...tHE LISCENSE CAN WAIT, i GUESS." You whisper. "bETTER GET TO BED..."

As you head for the comfort of a pillow against your face, the phone rings. Regrettably, you move to the phone, pick up the receiver, and answer your disturber.

"hELLO?"

No response.

"...hELLO?... wHO IS THIS?"

As the disturber answers, your eyes grow wide.

"gAMZEE?" You ask, surprised.

Before you could say anything else, your friend hung up.

You put the phone down, sighing. _Oh well, _You think.

"i GUESS, i'LL CALL IT A DAY..." You say to the empty room. "I SHOULD, tAKE IT EASY FOR, mY FIRST DAY IN A, nEW PLACE. mAN, i'M TIRED..."

You walk over to the bed and practically melt into its warm grasp. You feel content as h311, and you drift easily to sleep.

* * *

You wake up near midnight to the sound of someone crying.

_Ugh, really? Is that somebody crying?_ You wonder. _I can't sleep through this... Is it one of my neighbors? I should go complain._

You regretfully leave the comfort of your bed and exit the apartment. You notice that in your moment of fatigue, you slept in your clothes. Oh well.

The crying grows a bit louder as you travel through the hallway, but not by much. You knock on the doors of your neighbors, but none seem to be awake. Either that, or they're choosing to ignore you. But the door by the stairs holds some life as a woman with an obvious accent answers your call.

"Yeeees...?" She answers. "Who is it, Aht this hour?"

"uH, pARDON ME," You start. "iT'S JUST... i CAN, hEAR YOU FROM MY ROOM, aND IT'S MAKING IT, hARD TO SLEEP. wOULD YOU PLEASE STOP?"

There's silence for a few seconds, and you think she went back to sleep. But then she starts to yell.

"Huh? WhAht're you sehying?" She retorts. "I was Ahsleep until YOU woke meh up! You wAnnAh stArt something?!"

You open your mouth to respond, but nothing comes out. She takes this as a chance to poke her head out of her room.

Surprisingly, a young girl inhabits this apartment. The teenager has blond hair and tired hazel eyes. The frown on her face makes you feel like stabbing yourself for some reason. She glares at you through half-closed eyelids.

"You're the gAhy who moved intAh 205, right?" She asks. Before you can reply, she shushes you. "There's nAhw wAy you'd here me from thAhre!"

"eR..." You stammer. " i GUESS SO..."

Before you finish the sentence, the teenager slams the door in your face. Your brain shuts down for a second, then you stutter out an apology. You hightail it back to your room as fast as possible. You mull over the event and decide she's right; after all, it was man's voice you heard. Maybe it was just your imagination?

As you close the door, your ears pick up the sound of running water. You don't remember turning anything on when you left. You follow the sound and enter the bathroom, seeing the sink running. You walk over and turn the knobs, shutting off the water. As you turn to leave, you notice writing on the mirror.

Under the Bed

"uNDER THE BED?" You think aloud. "iS kARKAT TRYING TO, PRANK ME? tALK ABOUT BAD TASTE..."

You exit the bathroom and head to the bedroom. You climb onto the bed, almost falling prey to the warmth of the covers. You muster the courage and strength to reach under the bed and pull out a piece of paper.

Ever since she went away, I've spent every night clutching my sweaty pillow and writhing. I can't say goodbye, what other choices do I have?

"wHAT IS THIS?" You wonder aloud. "dID THE, fORMER TENANT LEAVE THIS? ...oH, whatever. i'LL, gET TO BED."

* * *

You wake again to the sound of more tears flowing from whoever's eyes they came from.

_That sound still? Where is that coming from? Gimme a break, I need to sleep..._

Suddenly, the phone rings.

You shoot out of bed and notice it isn't still the middle of the night, but more the middle of the day. You shuffle over to the phone and pick up the receiver.

"hELLO?"

"oH, yEAH, tHANKS FOR ALL THE..."

"...nO, nO, i DIDN'T MEAN... jUST... i'M BUSY WITH WORK, sO..."

"yES, i'LL SOME VISIT TODAY, tELL HER THAT, fOR ME... oKAY, bYE."

You put down the phone.

"mAN, i SLEPT IN TO NOON... i'D BETTER GO. sO MUCH FOR, tAKING IT EASY..."

You change into less-messy clothes and exit the apartment only to bump into Karkat.

"kARKAT? wHAT IS IT?" You ask.

"Y-YEAH, UH..." He starts. He seems a bit out of it. "I FORGOT MY ****ING LISCENSE YESTERDAY... WAS IT ON THE TABLE?"

At first you don't know what he's talking about, but then you remember the conversation you overheard yesterday when you were headed to give Karkat his license. You fish around in your pocket and produce the plastic item, handing it to your friend.

"uH, i WAS, gONNA BRING IT TO YOU, bUT..." You trail off.

He doesn't seem to notice, though. He just gives you a small smile and thanks you. "SO, YOU GOING SOMEWHERE?" He asks, attempting some small talk.

"uH, yEAH, tO THE HOSPITAL." You answer.

Karkat nods. "I SEE. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF, BUDDY." He pats your shoulder, then starts to walk away.

You almost let him leave, then remember something. "hEY, kARKAT?" You ask. He turns to you, eyebrow raised. "dID YOU, uH, wRITE SOMETHING ON THE, uH, bATHROOM MIRROR?"

Karkat looks at you like you're crazy. "WRITE ON THE MIRROR? WHAT KIND OF CHILDISH BRAT DO YOU ****ING TAKE ME FOR, TAVROS?"

You instantly feel stupid. "s-sORRY, i DIDN'T MEAN IT, lIKE THAT. aNYWAY, i'M OFF."

* * *

You slowly walk down the squeaky-clean hallways, trying not to listen too closely to the words of some of the patients. You head to a room you know all too well, slowly opening, stepping through, and closing the door. As you slowly walk over to the bed, you smile kindly at the woman laying in its arms. The familiar waist-length black hair with a shade that watches yours shifts as the head that claims its curly locks turns to face you. Her eyes are wide, confused, and curious at the same time.

"mOM... iT'S BEEN A WHILE... aRE YOU, dOING OKAY?" You ask the woman.

The woman just stares for a minute, then smiles warmly. "0h, my..." She says. "If it isn't little Yrik0n! Y0u've certainly gr0wn..." Her wide eyes shone as she spoke.

You sigh. "...gOOD, yOU LOOK HEALTHY. sORRY i CAN'T, sEE YOU, very MUCH... i'VE BEEN BUSY WITH WORK."

The woman nods slowly, hanging on every word. You fumble for words for a second, but quickly regain your composure.

"bUT, i TOOK A FEW DAYS OFF... sO i MOVED, tO THIS GREAT NEW ROOM, wITH FURNITURE, aND EVERYTHING! iT'S NEAR YOUR FAVORITE CAKE SHOP, TOO! sO, wHEN YOU GET BETTER, wE CAN LIVE THERE, tOGETHER!" You smile a bit yourself, trying desperately to join your mother in her happiness.

The woman chuckles. "My..." She whispers. "That's s0 w0nderful... Get al0ng with Eridan, will y0u? All that fighting y0u d0 w0rries me s0... Maybe I can c0me visit s0metime? Y0u like apple pie, right? I'll make the best I kn0w h0w..."

Suddenly, anger rushes through you. "mOM, i'M NOT yRIKON, i'M YOUR SON, tAVROS, rEMEMBER?" You yell at the woman.

She ignores your outburst and lays on her back, staring at the ceiling. "0h yes, they 0pened a bakery the 0ther day! It smells s0 w0nderful! Maybe I sh0uld buy fr0m there..."

You stare at the ground. "mOM..." You whisper.

She turns back to you. Only confusion exists in her wide eyes now, and her smile has disappeared. "0h? Wh0 w0uld y0u be?" She asks. "Why are y0u here?" She pauses for a moment as surprise finds its way into her eyes. "H0w did y0u get in? This is my r00m... D0 y0u have the wr0ng r00m?" The surprise slowly grows, and now fear resides where happiness once lived. "Wh0 ARE y0u?!" She screams. "Say s0mething, will y0u?"

You can't speak, for now fear resides in you, too. You start to choke out "m-mO-"

Then the woman jumps out of the bed and runs towards you. Her eyes now hold anger, and no memory of you loves with the confusion or kindness that once existed inside those amber orbs.

"GET 0UT!" She yells. "I'LL HAVE Y0U THR0WN 0UT!" You attempt to shush her, but she only screams louder.

"S0meb0dy! S0MEB0DY!" She calls into a little microphone. "There's a strange man in my r00m! Get rid 0f him, N0W!"

As you back towards the wall, the nurse who's extremely logical, yet a bit shy, walks in. "MrS. MegidO!" She calls to your mom. She walks towards her, followed by another nurse. They surround her and push her towards the bed as gently as possible. "MrS. MegidO, Don'T StraiN YourselF. PleasE, GO TO SleeP, OkaY?"

Your mother just stares at the nurses, wide eyes wider than before. "Wh0 are _y0u_?!" She screams. "D0n't t0uch me! GET AWAY!"

The second nurse shushes her. "Now, calm down, miss." He says. "Let's get you into bed..."

The first nurse turns towards you. She shakes her head. "I'M SorrY TavroS." She says. "LeavE YouR MotheR TO US. You'lL HavE TO LeavE FoR TodaY."

At first, you want to hesitate. But you grit your teeth, nod, and say "uNDERSTOOD. tAKE GOOD CARE OF HER..."

As you start to leave the room, you heard your mother calling to you, "Tavvy? Is that my Tavvy b0y? Where are y0u g0ing? Why are y0u leaving me?"

You spin around and stare at your mom. "m-mOM!" You call.

You mother smiles, kindness once again residing in her amber eyes. "Y0ur flight sch00l exams are c0ming up... Y0u want t0 be a pil0t, right? Y0ur m0ther always has y0ur back." Her smile turns into a somber frown. "Please, d0n't leave me al0ne... I d0n't want t0 be al0ne here... Tavvy, please..."

You can't take it anymore. You suck in a deep breath and scream as loud as you can, "mOM! iT'S ME! rEMEMBER?! mOM!"

The first nurse walks over to and stares you in the eyes, light jade fighting brown. "TavroS, PleasE LeavE!" She commands. "She'S Very ConfuseD RighT NoW."

You just stare, trying your best to win this battle. "b-bUT, bUT, sHE SAID MY-"

"PleasE LeavE!" The nurse commands, shoving you out of the room.

As the door slams shut, your mother starts to scream. The nurses keep attempting to calm her, and eventually have to resort to sedatives. You're left helpless, only able to listen to the war you've lost. You walk towards the exit of the building, head hung low. As you near the exit, the doctor appears before you.

"Hello Tavros." He greets. "Did you see your mother?"

You nod solemnly in response. "sHE DOESN'T... rEMEMBER ME..."

The doctor nods. "She's forgotten many things, and she's having trouble controlling her emotions. I ask you to be patient. She may well get better, so you can live with her again."

You nod again. "tHANKS... i HOPE THAT YOU, cAN HELP HER..."

* * *

**And end chapter one! Sheesh, this was long. It's probably the longest chapter thing I've ever written! And to those of you who don't know: Some of the background characters (ex: The teenager at the hotel, the Yrikon name, the logical yet shy nurse) were my fantrolls. When necessary, they'll make appearances to fill in plot space and other crud like that.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this so far! See you next time!**

**~ATA**


	3. The Beginning of the Mystery Again

**I'm back! So here's the next chapter to The Crooked Troll!**

**Tavros: aVERON tHE aWESOME, uH, dOESN'T OWN, aNYTHING MENTIONED IN THE FANFIC, uH, uNLESS IT'S HER FANTROLLS,,,**

* * *

You walk solemnly back to your apartment, mulling over the events of the previous night and quickly-dissolving day. You quietly walk past the teenager's room, hoping not to wake her and start an unneeded argument. You slowly open your door and walk inside.

Then there's a sound in the computer room.

You turn towards the sound, curious. You slowly open the door and peek inside. Everything seems in order, except...

Did you move that chair? It seems like it was nudged aside. And that drawer looks like it had opened a bit. You walk over and look inside the drawer. There's a leaflet inside. Upon closer inspection, it seems to be for a law school. All of the LL. M. courses were circled.

_I guess this is the former tenant's._ You think to yourself. _He sure forgot a lot of stuff. Maybe no furniture is better after all, huh?_

You shove the leaflet into your pocket and head towards the bedroom. As soon as you enter, the phone starts to ring. You hurry over to answer it.

"hELLO?"

"H3Y T4VROS!" Terezi jeers into the receiver. "HOW 4R3 YOU DO1NG?"

You chuckle. "yOU, uH, jUST SAW ME yESTERDAY! bUT, i'M DOING FINE, tHANKS."

Terezi cackles, "GOOD, GOOD! C4LL 1F YOU'R3 3V3R LON3LY, OK4Y?"

You nod to yourself. "bY THE WAY, i GOT A CALL, fROM gAMZEE, tHE OTHER DAY. wE, dIDN'T REALLY TALK, bUT..."

You faintly hear the sound of a facepalm. "SORRY, 1 TOLD H1M YOUR NUMB3R! H3 S41D H3 W4S SO WORR13D 4BOUT YOU..."

"...iT'S OKAY," You sigh. "tELL HIM, i DON'T NEED HIS WORRY. hE SHOULD, jUST LOOK OUT FOR hIMSELF."

There's a moment of hesitation, but Terezi quickly answers "4LR1GHT. 1'LL H4NG UP NOW."

"aLRIGHT. sEE YOU." You say as you hang up.

You sigh. You thought you'd taken care of this, but you obviously hadn't.

* * *

Your eyes skip across the words on the page of your book. You take a sip from your cup of coffee. You've been reading for the past two hours, and now you've grown quite bored of it. All you feel like doing right now is sleeping. You trudge over to the mattress and practically throw yourself into its grasp.

But, just as your skin touches the fabric, the TV switches on.

At first, you think it's just your imagination. But as you listen, you realize it _is_ the TV. You get out of bed and walk slowly over to the TV.

All you can see is static. You start to think this is just a prank, when suddenly:

S I N K

You scream and fall backwards in surprise. You were NOT expecting that. You just stare at the TV, scared out of your pants.

"w-wHAT..." You whisper. "tHAT WAS, cREEPY... dID IT SAY 'SINK?' wHAT WAS THAT?"

You look over to the sink. Should you look? You feel like you shouldn't, but you get up and shuffle over anyway. You stare at the polished metal of the sink's interior and see a piece of paper near the drain.

There Was A Crooked Man

There was a crooked man

Who walked a crooked mile

He found a crooked sixpence

On a crooked stile

He bought a crooked cat

Which caught a crooked mouse

And They all live together

In a crooked little house

_Isn't this a Mother Goose rhyme?_ You wonder. _Why is this here under the sink? I guess the previous tenant...? This is so strange. I should just sleep and forget it._

You trudge back to the bed and gratefully accept its warm embrace. _Moving for a change of pace, huh? Guess that's not working too well... I appreciate Karkat and Terezi's help, but..._

* * *

You wake this time to the sound of breathing. But not just any breathing. A child's breathing.

_Is that a kid I hear?_ You think. _Why would a kid live in one of these beat-up apartments?_ But as you remember the teenager, you guess you can believe that. _Heck, maybe they're lost. I should go check..._

Once again, you leave warmth for curiosity and head towards the hallway. As you exit, you sneak a glance down the hall towards the teenager's apartment. You walk slowly down the hall, listening for any signs of life. But you soon notice that the breathing has stopped.

_'Course there's no kids here. I must be getting tired..._

Then there's the sound of shattered glass.

You turn towards your apartment and run as quietly as you can back inside. You head to the bedroom and see that the coffee you had earlier has spilled onto the floor. You let out the breath you've been holding.

"iT'S JUST, a BROKEN CUP..." You chuckle, though a bit awkwardly. "gEEZ, tHAT STARTLED ME..." But as soon as you look at the spill, your opinion over the situation changes completely.

HELP ME

You back away from the spill immediately, tripping over your prosthetic feet. "tHE COFFEE SAYS...?! yOU'VE GOTTA BE..." You look around your apartment, swearing you can feel someone watching you. "tHIS ROOM... iS REALLY, REALLY STRANGE... wITH ITS VOICES... aND TVS TURNING ON... wHAT _IS_ THIS?!"

* * *

The next morning, you're on the phone.

"uH, hI, kARKAT? iT'S tAVROS..."

"YEAH, WHAT'S UP? MAN, YOU SOUND SLEEPY!"

You let out a lighthearted chuckle. "yEAH, uH, wAS UP, aLL LAST NIGHT... i GOTTA, aSK YOU SOMETHING, iS NOW, oKAY?"

"YEAH! WHAT?"

You take a deep breath. "dO YOU KNOW, wHO USED TO LIVE, iN THIS ROOM?"

There's a slight pause before he answers. "NAH, I DUN-**ING-NO. HAVE YOU ASKED THE **ING LANDLADY? YOU **ING CURIOUS OR SOMETHING?"

You think about that. You guess you probably should've asked the landlady first. Oh well. "wELL... sEEMS LIKE HE FORGOT, a LOT OF STUFF. bUT i'LL ASKED THE LANDLADY, sURE. lATER." You put down the receiver.

_The landlady's on the far end of the first floor._ You remember. _I'll go see what she knows._

You leave your apartment and head towards the stairs. As you take the first step, the door behind you opens, revealing the teenager. She shoves past you and "accidently" pushes you down the stairs. As you land, you hear her say "Ah wArned yAh Ahbout those stAirs bro! I told yAh dog!" And she walks away, laughing.

You stare at the ceiling until your vision clears. Several black and white spots continually flick across the ceiling. "iT KEEPS HAPPENING..." You exclaim.

You get up and head towards the landlady's apartment. You knock, wait, and she eventually opens the door. Her extremely long hair isn't pulled back today, so it looks like a family of skunks who dyed their stripes brown climbed onto her head and died.

"Helloooo!" She greets enthusiastically. "Oh, it's Mr. Tavros! What seems to be the matter?"

You grin. "gOOD DAY MISS. I JUST WANTED TO, aSK YOU SOMETHING, yOU SEE..." You search for the right words. "aBOUT THE ROOM i'M IN... cAN YOU TELL ME ANYTHING, aBOUT THE PERSON WHO USED TO, lIVE THERE?"

The woman chewed her bottom lip, thinking. "Hm... Well, y'know, these apartments always have people coming and going... Now, what was that girl's name..."

It's a girl? Whoa, you were WAY off.

"I believe she was a girl about your age... Suddenly left about a month ago. Said to leave the furniture and use it for whatever!" The lady smiled at you, buckteeth poking out.

You stood there for awhile, staring. Why would a woman like her have buck teeth?... Wait, she asked you a question. ANSWER THE WOMAN, BRO!

"yOU, uH, wOULDN'T HAPPEN TO KNOW, wHERE HE WENT?"

The woman shook her head. "She didn't tell me, no! Really just up and left out of the blue! Hutch, I just can't remember the name! I could rummage through my documents to find the previous tenants, if you like!" Another bucktooth smile.

You shake your head. "n-nO, tHERE'S NO NEED... i WAS JUST, a LITTLE CURIOUS... tHANKS, i'LL SEE YOU AROUND..."

"Alrighty! Sorry if I wasn't very helpful!" Then she closed the door. Did a rabbit scamper past behind her? It sure seemed like it.

You turn and walk towards the stairs. _A woman about my age... I can only wonder._

You climb the stairs and walk past a tall plant. _**You don't trust that**** plant.**_

As you walk through the door, you see a trail of black stains leading to the bedroom. In your surprise, you accidently slam the door. You slowly follow the tracks as they lead you to a large crack in your wall.

"w-wHY ARE THESE TRACKS, oN THE FLOOR?! t-tHEY LEAD TO THIS WALL... iS THERE SOMETHING, iN THE CRACK?"

You reach your arm inside the crack and feel around. See, in a horror movie, you'd most likely be pulled into the crack by a demon child right now. But, seeing as you've found something, that seems unlikely. You pull the small piece of metal out of the wall to examine it better.

What's a brass key doing in the wall? It's pretty fancy, so it's probably for something not here.

* * *

You're sitting at the table, head in your hands.

_The man's voice, the kid's voice, the mirror writing, the TV turning on, the_ coffee... You wonder._ It's like a poltergeist or something... But I think the Landlady would've mentioned this kind of thing. What's going on here?_

_...I guess I wouldn't really care, though. Especially if they haunted me... Or killed me..._

_But I wonder about that scrap of paper... What was the girl who lived here like? Did this stuff happened when she was here?_

You clutch your head. All of these events and thoughts are giving you a headache. You head towards you bed. But, before you get in, you look around.

"aNYONE GONNA, mESS WITH ME? bETTER DO IT NOW!" You yell at the ceiling. After no response, you nod and climb into bed.

* * *

Aaaand, it's gone.

A high-pitched noise is ringing through your brain. Where's it coming from? Is it inside the house?

You, once again, regretfully leave the bed's embrace in an attempt to solve this mystery.

And after several minutes of walking around, you find a radio in the computer room.

"wHY'S THIS IN MY CLOSET? nOT TO MENTION, tURNING ON BY ITSELF..."

You turn off the radio. Your hand brushes against a slip of paper. And, seeing as nothing _too_ supernatural has happened, you take it and read the address.

"oUR sPECIAL pLACE? wHERE'S THAT?" You wonder aloud. You shrug it off and head back to your bed room. As you open the door, you feel somewhat afraid. And you have a good reason.

I'M W8IN' FOR YOU

You fall backwards and bang your head against the wall. Your left leg pops off on impact with the ground. You reattach it and stumble to your feet. You stare at the message, wide eyes filled with fear. You can barely stutter out a reply for a good five minutes.

Then, finally, you read the message aloud: "i-i... i'M W8IN' FOR YOU? wHAT... wHY DID... hOW... aND WHEN DID...?!"

You proceed to run out of the apartment, screaming like a little girl.

**Poor Tavbro. **

**Vriska: I freaked him out soooooooo bad. ::::)**

**Shut up! *slaps* Why is _my_ patron troll a jerk?! Why couldn't I be a Capricorn?! I like Gamzee way better than you!**

**Vriska: Come oooooooon. You knoooooooow you love me. :::;)**

**Shut it Spiderbreath. The readers don't give a crud about me arguing with you.**

**Vriska: 8ut you doooooooo care. I knoooooooow you do. ;;;;)**

***holds up "I'm not Yuri!" sign***


	4. The Journey Actually Starts Now Srsly

**I really like this story. I think it's a great project and I want it to be finished when it's good and ready. I can even have an aftermath chapter or something!**

**Rilsta: Ahvereh doehs not own HomestAhck. Ahll she owns ehs meh Ahnd her othAh fAhntrolls.**

**Cateni: You have a very thick accent.**

**Rilsta: ShAht up!**

**They have a Kismesis. :/**

* * *

"SO, YOU SLEEP **ING WELL LAST NIGHT? SORRY YOU **ING HAD TO SLEEP ON THE **ING COUCH."

You're currently sitting in Karkat's dining room, seeing as you had to spend the night. "nO, i SHOULD BE SORRY, fOR COMING SO LATE."

Karkat laughs. "WASN'T **ING EXPECTING IT, BUT DON'T **ING SWEAT IT!" His joking smile fades. "BUT HEY, DID SOMETHING HAPPEN? YOU DON'T LOOK TOO HOT..."

You chuckle nervously. "oH, tHERE'S NO, pARTICULAR REASON..." You grin playfully. "oR, mAYBE i FELT LIKE, iNTRUDING INTO THE NEWLYWED'S, lOVENEST."

Karkat glared, but it wasn't an angry glare. "HEY! WHY YOU..."

You laugh at his face. His expression was hilarious! "i WAS, uH, jUST KIDDING."

You zone out and go to your happy place for a second. Karkat stares at you for while, but you didn't notice at first. "SERIOUSLY, THOUGH. YOU CAN **ING TELL ME IF ANYTHING **ING HAPPENS, OKAY?" He asks, jolting you out of your trance. "I'LL DO WHAT-**ING-EVER I CAN FOR YOU!"

You nod and smile. "aLRIGHT. i'M GLAD TO, hAVE A BUDDY WHO, uH, aLWAYS LOOKS OUT, fOR HIS FRIENDS."

Karkat glared his fake glare again. "HEY, YOU **ING MAKING FUN OF ME?" He trailed off, remembering something. "OH YEAH, I HEARD FROM **ING TEREZI." He frowned apologetically. "SORRY ABOUT THE GAMZEE THING... I TOLD HER OFF FOR THAT."

You nod. "dON'T, uH, wORRY, aBOUT IT. iT'S NOT tEREZI'S FAULT."

Karkat shook his head. "WELL, IT'S NOT **ING ABOUT WHOSE **ING FAULT IT IS. i'M JUST NOT **ING HAPPY ABOUT THIS **. DON'T **ING LET IT GET YOU DOWN, ALRIGHT? I **ING KNOW YOU'VE GOT YOUR **ING MOTHER TO LOOK AFTER, BUT I THINK IT'S ABOUT **ING TIME YOU MOVE ONE AND LOOK FOR NEW **ING PEOPLE!"

You don't even attempt to look like you appreciate his words. "aS IF A GUY LIKE ME, cOULD FIND A DATE. i'M JUST SOME CLERK, wITH, uH, a MOM IN THE HOSPITAL, aND THE PERSON, i WANTED TO MARRY RAN, FROM ME." You feel like tears are starting to form when Karkat laughs.

"MAN, DON'T **ING BE SUCH A SISSY!" He chuckles. "YOU **ING KEEP UP THAT MOPING AND **, YOU'LL **ING HAVE YOUR OWN PERSONAL **ING RAIN CLOUD!"

You chuckle. Karkat always had a way with words. "wELL, i GUESS, uH, i'LL BE CAREFUL." You pat your pocket, feeling something there. Your eyes fill with realization. "oH, bY THE WAY, i'M GOING, uH, oN A LITTLE TRIP." You tell a confused Karkat. "dON'T WANT TO, uH, wASTE MY VACATION, Y'KNOW."

Karkat smiles. It scares you a bit. "**, THAT'S A GREAT IDEA!" He praises. "WHERE YOU GOING?"

You stare at the ground for what feels like hours before replying. "jUST SOMEWHERE i WAS, uH, wONDERING ABOUT. i'LL CALL YOU WHEN i, uH, gET THERE."

Karkat chuckles. "SWEET! SEND A POSTCARD!"

It's this moment when Terezi walks in, a bright smile on her face. "BR34KF4ST'S R34DY, K4RKL3S!" She chimes, making you chuckle. She still uses Karkat's old nickname, even when you're adults. This girl never ceases to amaze you.

Wait, she just asked you if you were eating with them. You shake your head. "i'M NOT HUNGRY. i'LL BE, uH, gOING NOW."

Terezi frowns. "4W, TH4T'S TOO B4D! BUT R3M3MB3R YOU C4N COM3 BY 4NYT1M3 YOU L1K3!"

You nod as you stand up. You thank Karkat and Terezi again for letting you stay the night, then abscond to your hotel room.

* * *

You're sitting at your table checking a map you borrowed from the teenager (She's pretty nice when she's not cranky!). She even gave you some notes about where some good places were. Unfortunately, most of those places were pubs and stuff like that.

Now that you think about it, she may have just been pranking you.

_Looks like this address is in the_ mountains... You think._ About a five hour drive. Did the former tenant go there...?_

You lean back in your chair and look around. Luckily, that message is gone. Either that, or you cleaned it at some point. You don't really remember or care. _I just want to ask him about this room._ You decide. _Maybe he'll know something._ You stand up and make a determined pose. _Heck, I'll go right now. I can't stand this place anyway._

You grab the map and walk out the door, not even bothering to look back.

Yet you feel like someone -or something- is watching you...


	5. Hotel Something-With-A-Fancy-Name

**I'd like to point out that I accidentally made Tavros think Vriska was a guy. So, until the Crooked Troll/it's body is discovered, he will keep thinking that she's a guy. Also, I realized I sort of imply a crack pairing of VriskaxFeferi for the next few chapters. =-=" (My Gog, what am I even doing right now.)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the game or Homestuck, they belong to their owners, 8luh 8luh 8luh.**

You look up at the building. After your long car ride, it felt good to see a glimpse of society again. Even if it was an old hotel.

"gEEZ, iT'S GOTTEN DARK." You whisper. "bUT THIS IS THE PLACE... nO DOUBT." You look towards the top of the building. "hUGE PLACE... lOOKS LIKE, a HOTEL. wOULD HE BE HERE?" You look over your shoulder, seeing your parked light brown car in the distance. You nod to yourself. "i GUESS, i'LL HAVE TO CHECK." You brace yourself and walk inside. You glance over to a faded bulletin board.

**Hotel Ruhenheim**

**Giving you a serene stay**

* * *

The inside of the hotel was musty and dark. Faded red carpets lay on the floor, accompanied by dust and cobwebs. The stairways looked like they would've been extremely grand in the past, but were faded and creaky now. You cautiously climb up the stairway on your left, entering the hallway's third door.

Inside was a grand bedroom, though it wasn't far from the lobby. You see a mirror and attempt to walk towards it, effectively seeing it crack by itself. Your heart does a somersault in response to this event. Despite the fear, you move towards the mirror and find a notebook scrap on the dresser.

_It was our special place._

_She loved the pretty room with its big mirror._

_She would wonder what to wear for dinner._

_But now it's just me._

_I thought it might help to come here, but it didn't._

_There's only emptiness._

You feel sorry for the person who wrote the note. But you also notice something important; the rule on the paper is the same as the one from your apartment. That can only mean that the former tenant had come here. Did he write this note? Was he still here?

"sO,,, hE GOT, dUMPED,,," You frown. "tHE NOTE AT HOME, dID MENTION THAT,,, aND OUR, sPECIAL PLACE, hE CAME HERE, wITH HER,,, wHERE COULD HE BE?" You leave the room and head left, coming upon a door with a notice taped to it.

Do to employee incompetence and lost keys, the library is temporarily closed. We apologize for the inconvenience.

After walking around, getting lost, and finding your way again, you find a door that_ isn't_ fake. You walk inside and see a normal room with two beds on the opposite wall. You see a door to your right and try to enter, but your mind says "Looks like the bathroom and won't let you open the door.

You walk over to the dresser and look through the drawers. You come across a piece of paper, seemingly drawn by a child. It was addressed to the child's parents and pointed out a specific square in a room, probably the dining room. There were nine tables there, probably.

"tREASURE HUNT?" You wonder aloud. "i GUESS, sOME KID STAYING HERE DREW THIS." You smile. "sURE, i'LL LOOK FOR YOU TREASURE." You pocket the note and exit the room.

You head upstairs and into the dining room, checking your note again. You move to the indicated table and rummage around under the tablecloth, feeling something cold under your fingertips. You pull it out and reveal a gold key. You pocket the key and see you also pulled out a piece of paper.

y9u f9und the tre4sure! C9NGR4TS! 8D

You exit the room and head towards the library. You use the gold key and voilà, it works. You enter and are immediately greeted by the sight of dust, dust, and even more dust. (Okay, you may have been exaggerating a bit.)

You see a key on a nearby table and pick it up. It belongs to Room 109. You head a bit further and hear something in the hallway. _What? That sound... _You wonder.

You begin to head outside when you spot a book on a table. You walk over and read a bit.

_Cry of the Unseen_

_Do you consider yourself kind? You don't get to decide that. It's decided in the unconscious. __Even is you believe you are cold-hearted, you may be warm and emotional inside._

_... And THEY will sniff it out._

_They will be lured by your kindness, and they will drag you away._

"...sOME KIND OF, oCCULT BOOK?" You wonder aloud. "i BET kARKAT WOULD LOVE THIS. hE'S WAY TOO INTO THAT STUFF, fOR HIS AGE." With that being said, you exit the room.

As you walk down the hallway, you hear something again. You stop, staring at the empty hallway before you. _Is someone there? _you wonder, then head towards the lobby.

You cast a suspecting glance towards the moose.

YOU DON'T TRUST THAT FUCKING MOOSE.

Even if he looks like a seal.

**Well, that happened!**

**Herro, my awwesome peoples! Here is the next chapter for this crazy piece of shit! I hope you enjoy it!**

**BTW, the reason I don't upd8 a lot is because of my horrible procrastination. Sorry 'bout dat. ::::II**

**~ATA**


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